Ramblings

It's interesting that the question of the day on my LDS Journal would be, "How has the Lord blessed me today?" The Lord blessed me today in a conversation I had a few days ago with my mom. On Sunday I called up, defeated and tired and overwhelmed. It is the same thing over and over again, the duties of mom, yw Pres., student, wife, housekeeper..etc..are daunting and sometimes they get to me.

My mom listened to me complain and then said, "lizzie, my biggest regret with you kids is that I didn't get down on the floor and play with you and leave the laundry and dishes to be done another day. They'll always be there, but your kids won't always be young."

Well, yesterday on Monday, I tried to do it, but I just couldn't. Then Brandon ended up home early and I ran some errands. I went to bed last night thinking that I really needed to spend quality time with my kids.

Now here is how the Lord blessed me. He gave me the desire to serve my girls today by having fun with them. First we cleaned up..they helped! Then we played Old Maid. It was so much fun, Katelyn ended up trying to sneak the Old Maid into my cards and it ended up in a ticklefest, which resulting in flying the girls like superheros. They lean their bellies against my raised feet and soar above the sky. Then we played monsters and I chased them around.

This afternoon I decided we'd have a great activity. We each drew a family member's name and went to the dollar store with the mission to buy a gift for that person. Anna drew Ellie and picked out a mini baby doll. Katelyn picked me, and spent 30 mins rumuging thru the isles trying to find just the "perfect gift". She got me a reed diffuser, I am so excited to try it! Ofcourse that meant that Ellie and I had Katelyn and Anna's names. I picked out two bottles of silly string and we were off. They had no idea what I had bought.

When we arrived home I had them go through a series of activities to earn their prize. When they accomplished the list I had them go outside, sit down and close their eyes. Then I proceeded to spray them with silly string. Then they sprayed me. We ran around chasing each other, spraying each other and laughing our heads off. It was priceless!!!!

After that I got the insane idea to build a fire in our fire pit and roast marshmellows. So we did. The girls had fun gathering tinder for the fire and I loved cooking marshmellows. It's one of my favorite things in the whole world!

It's only 4pm, they are sitting, playing in the bath. I smell like smoke and i love it. The dishes did get done, the laundry is put away, piano practicing accomplished. But also, my girls are laughing in the tub, Ellie is playing quietly by my side and there is a fort to get to downstairs in my living room.

Today the Lord has blessed me! He's blessed me to enjoy my children to love their laughter and twinkling eyes. To rejoice in their strong desire to serve one another and the love they have for each other. He's blessed me! Not only today but always to be a Mother in Zion. Which gift is one of the greatest gifts given to a latter-day saint lady.

When the days are long and hard and tiring and overwhelming and the dishes and laundry pile high to the sky, I hope the Lord will bless me to enjoy the silly string moments of life. They pass all too quickly!

Liz